Referrals
In order to access the NEAD service, you need to have a confirmed diagnosis that has been made by a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist and be referred to us by a healthcare professional.

Referrals can only be accepted from out-of-area if they are referred by a Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences (MCCN) Neurologist or Neuropsychiatrist

Below is information for healthcare professionals about making a referral.

Referral criteria

• We accept referrals for individuals aged 16 and above.
• The person you are referring must have a confirmed diagnosis of NEAD made by a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist. We ask that you do not make a referral until all investigations have been completed.
• It is important that the diagnosis has been explained and that the patient is accepting of it.
• We ask that you explain to patients that engagement with the NEAD service is typically a year. During this time they will need to be able to commit to having regular appointments (e.g. fortnightly) at Salford Royal Hospital.
• Individuals who have comorbid conditions (e.g. Learning Disability, difficulties relating to substance use and/ or mental health diagnoses) are seen within the NEAD service. However if it is considered that a comorbid condition would get in the way of being able to engage with the interventions that we provide, they would be referred to an appropriate specialist service.

If you are considering referring someone to our service, the following questions should help you to decide whether they are ready to be referred:

Q: Has the diagnosis of NEAD been explained to the patient?

Q: Is the patient in agreement with diagnosis?

Q: Does the patient understand that NEAD is caused by physical and emotional stress building up in the body?

Q: Is the patient ready and able to commit to attending the NEAD information group (see leaflet for more information) at Salford Royal Hospital?

Q: Is the patient ready and able to commit to attending regular individual therapy appointments for a minimum of 6 months at Salford Royal Hospital?

If the answer is no to any of the above questions, please consider having a further discussion with the patient before making a referral.
If they are not in agreement with the diagnosis or ready to commit to having regular appointments, it is unlikely that a referral would be accepted.
If a referral is accepted, the patient will be added to our waiting list.
Please be aware that we are only able to bring an appointment forwards in cases where a high level of risk has been highlighted by the healthcare professional who made the referral.
 

Referral Form

Click image to view or download a form.